Temporary work visas are an established and central component of the offshore outsourced service delivery model. Service providers have traditionally relied on visas to quickly bring skilled resources on board to staff a project during the critical transition phase of a new initiative.
In recent years, domestic political and economic pressures have placed visa programs under intense scrutiny, resulting in significant processing delays and frequent rejections of visa applications. These delays, in turn, have placed transition plans at risk. Specifically, the aggressive timelines and ambitious agendas for transition phases enabled by rapid visa approvals are no longer viable. However, neither clients nor service providers have acknowledged that the rules of the game are changing. As a result, transition schedules are becoming increasingly unrealistic, and transition plans are increasingly failing to address critical objectives. Ultimately, this sets a foundation for a relationship characterized by long term dysfunction.
This ISG white paper examines recent trends and data around visa policies, application and rejection rates, service provider strategies and the implications of these trends for transition plans. The author also outlines steps that both client organizations and service providers need to take to adjust to ongoing changes in the sourcing environment, specifically with respect to the transition phase of new initiatives.
